Endangered Species Protection
In the coming decades, 500,000 species of insects are expected to go extinct. This means the devastating loss of trillions of little lives. As critical players in global ecosystems, insects must be protected not only for their intrinsic value but also to preserve balance for all life on Earth, including human society.
SPI works to protect endangered insects through legal, political, and advocacy efforts. Our current work focuses on endangered insects in the United States.
Endangered Insect Species in the United States by State
Alabama
Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly
Arkansas
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
California
Euphilotes battoides allyni El Segundo blue butterfly
Apodemia mormo langei Lange's metalmark butterfly
Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis Lotis blue butterfly
Icaricia icarioides missionensis Mission blue butterfly
Speyeria zerene myrtleae Myrtle's silverspot butterfly
Euphydryas editha quino (E. e. wrighti) Quino checkerspot butterfly
Callophrys mossii bayensis San Bruno elfin butterfly
Euphilotes enoptes smithi Smith's blue butterfly
Speyeria callippe callippe Callippe silverspot butterfly
Speyeria zerene hippolyta Oregon silverspot butterfly (Threatened)
Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis Palos Verdes blue butterfly
Euproserpinus euterpe Kern primrose sphinx moth (Threatened)
Elaphrus viridis Delta green ground beetle (Threatened)
Desmocerus californicus dimorphus Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Threatened)
Euphydryas editha bayensis Bay checkerspot butterfly (Threatened)
Speyeria zerene behrensii Behren's silverspot butterfly
Pyrgus ruralis lagunae Laguna Mountains skipper
Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis Delhi Sands flower-loving fly
Polyphylla barbata Mount Hermon june beetle
Cicindela ohlone Ohlone tiger beetle
Trimerotropis infantilis Zayante band-winged grasshopper
Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus Carson wandering skipper
Lycaena hermes Hermes copper butterfly (Threatened)
Bombus franklini Franklin's bumble bee
Dinacoma caseyi Casey's june beetle
Connecticut
Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)
Florida
Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus Schaus swallowtail butterfly
Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri Miami blue butterfly
Strymon acis bartrami Bartram's hairstreak butterfly
Anaea troglodyta floridalis Florida leafwing butterfly
Cicindelidia floridana Miami tiger beetle
Guam
Hypolimnas octocula marianensis Mariana eight-spot butterfly
Vagrans egistina Mariana wandering butterfly
Hawaii
Manduca blackburni Blackburn's sphinx moth
Drosophila aglaia Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila heteroneura Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila montgomeryi Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila mulli Hawaiian picture-wing fly (Threatened)
Drosophila musaphilia Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila neoclavisetae Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila obatai Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila substenoptera Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila tarphytrichia Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila hemipeza Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila ochrobasis Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Drosophila differens Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Megalagrion nigrohamatum nigrolineatum Blackline Hawaiian damselfly
Megalagrion pacificum Pacific Hawaiian damselfly
Megalagrion nesiotes Flying earwig Hawaiian damselfly
Drosophila digressa Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Megalagrion leptodemas Crimson Hawaiian damselfly
Hylaeus assimulans Assimulans yellow-faced bee
Hylaeus longiceps Hawaiian yellow-faced bee
Hylaeus anthracinus Anthricinan yellow-faced bee
Megalagrion oceanicum Oceanic Hawaiian damselfly
Hylaeus facilis Easy yellow-faced bee
Megalagrion xanthomelas Orangeblack Hawaiian damselfly
Drosophila sharpi Hawaiian picture-wing fly
Hylaeus hilaris Hilaris yellow-faced bee
Hylaeus mana Hawaiian yellow-faced bee
Hylaeus kuakea Hawaiian yellow-faced bee
Illinois
Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly
Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Indiana
Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly
Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Iowa
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Kansas
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
Maine
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Maryland
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)
Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Massachusetts
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)
Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Michigan
Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly
Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly
Brychius hungerfordi Hungerford's crawling water beetle
Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly
Oarisma poweshiek Poweshiek skipperling
Minnesota
Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly
Hesperia dacotae Dakota skipper (Threatened)
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Mississippi
Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly
Missouri
Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle
Montana
Lednia tumana Meltwater lednian stonefly (Threatened)
Zapada glacier Western glacier stonefly (Threatened)
Nebraska
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
Cicindela nevadica lincolniana Salt Creek Tiger beetle
Nevada
Ambrysus amargosus Ash Meadows naucorid (Threatened)
Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus Carson wandering skipper
Icaricia (Plebejus) shasta charlestonensis Mount Charleston blue butterfly
New Hampshire
Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly
New Jersey
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)
New Mexico
Euphydryas anicia cloudcrofti Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly
Speyeria nokomis nokomis Silverspot (Threatened)
New York
Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly
Hemileuca maia menyanthevora (=H. iroquois) Bog buck moth
North Carolina
Neonympha mitchellii francisci Saint Francis' satyr butterfly
North Dakota
Hesperia dacotae Dakota skipper (Threatened)
Northern Mariana Islands
Hypolimnas octocula marianensis Mariana eight-spot butterfly
Vagrans egistina Mariana wandering butterfly
Ischnura luta Rota blue damselfly
Ohio
Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly
Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Oklahoma
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
Oregon
Speyeria zerene hippolyta Oregon silverspot butterfly (Threatened)
Icaricia icarioides fenderi Fender's blue butterfly (Threatened)
Bombus franklini Franklin's bumble bee
Euphydryas editha taylori Taylor's (=whulge) checkerspot
Puerto Rico
Atlantea tulita Puerto Rican harlequin butterfly (Threatened)
Rhode Island
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
South Dakota
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
Hesperia dacotae Dakota Skipper (Threatened)
Texas
Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)
Batrisodes texanus Coffin Cave mold beetle
Texamaurops reddelli Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle
Rhadine persephone Tooth Cave ground beetle
Heterelmis comalensis Comal Springs riffle beetle
Stygoparnus comalensis Comal Springs dryopid beetle
Rhadine infernalis [no common name] beetle
Batrisodes venyivi Helotes mold beetle
Rhadine exilis[no common name] beetle
Utah
Speyeria nokomis nokomis Silverspot (Threatened)
Virginia
Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Washington
Euchloe ausonides insulanus Island marble butterfly
Euphydryas editha taylori Taylor's (=whulge) checkerspot
West Virginia
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Wisconsin
Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly
Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly
Hemileuca maia menyanthevora (=H. iroquois) Bog buck moth
Oarisma poweshiek Poweshiek skipperling
Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee
Wyoming
Zapada glacier Western glacier stonefly (Threatened)